Oregon Lawmakers Gavel 2014 Legislative Session To A Close

The Oregon legislature has wrapped up its 2014 legislative session. The final gavel fell Friday afternoon as lawmakers wrapped up the loose ends on a handful of bills.

Adjournment came just two days before lawmakers had to leave under the terms of the Oregon Constitution. House Speaker Tina Kotek brought the gavel down just before dinner time.

The final day was relatively free of political gamesmanship as lawmakers quietly adjusted a few state agency budgets and gave final Senate approval to a measure that allows towns to ban medical marijuana dispensaries for the next year.

Lawmakers also signed off on a $200 million grant for cancer research at Oregon Health and Science University. Republican senator Fred Girod said the money could be a game-changer.

"I went to school in Boston. I saw first-hand what MIT and Harvard could do for that area," he said. "I think that will happen in Portland."

The money will be added to a $500 million matching grant challenge from Nike co-founder Phil Knight.